What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 18, 1999, about 1245 central standard time, a Beechcraft K-35, N15FF, registered to a private individual, operating as a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, ditched into the gulf of Mexico in the vicinity of Gulfport, Mississippi. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The aircraft sunk and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight departed homestead municipal airport, Florida at about 0922 eastern standard time. According to initial reports from Gulfport tower personnel, the flight was on a downwind leg in IFR conditions in preparation for an ILS approach to the airport, when the pilot radioed that he had an engine problem and elected to ditch the airplane. (-23) while being vectored for ILS approach out over water the pilot stated the engine quit running. He switched tanks but was unable to restart engine. Pilot made successful ditching at sea, with minor injuries. Investigation indicated fuel in left tank of approx. 12.5 to 13 gallons. It appears pilot may have mismanaged fuel and ran out of fuel in right tank. Fuel selector was in right position on inspection. It appears acft had adquate fuel in sys tem to sustain engine operation. (.4) according to the pilot, he was indicating half full on his left main fuel tank, being vectored in IMC conditions by FAA Gulfport (Mississippi) approach control radar for an instrument landing, when he lost engine power. He thought that he had a least 12 to 15 gallons of fuel remaining. He could not regain engine power and ditched the airplane in the gulf of Mexico. When the airplane was recovered 6 days later from the 6 to 8 feet depth water, about 12.5 to 13 gallons of uncontaminated blue colored 100LL aviation fuel remained in the left main fuel tank. Subsequent examination of the fuel system by FAA inspectors revealed a clogged left wing fuel vent system.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 18, 1999, ABOUT 1245 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BEECHCRAFT K-35, N15FF, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, DITCHED INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO IN THE VICINITY OF GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT SUNK AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED HOMESTEAD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, FLORIDA AT ABOUT 0922 EASTERN STANDARD TIME. ACCORDING TO INITIAL REPORTS FROM GULFPORT TOWER PERSONNEL, THE FLIGHT WAS ON A DOWNWIND LEG IN IFR CONDITIONS IN PREPARATION FOR AN ILS APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, WHEN THE PILOT RADIOED THAT HE HAD AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR ILS APPROACH OUT OVER WATER THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. HE SWITCHED TANKS BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART ENGINE. PILOT MADE SUCCESSFUL DITCHING AT SEA, WITH MINOR INJURIES. INVESTIGATION INDICATED FUEL IN LEFT TANK OF APPROX. 12.5 TO 13 GALLONS. IT APPEARS PILOT MAY HAVE MISMANAGED FUEL AND RAN OUT OF FUEL IN RIGHT TANK. FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN RIGHT POSITION ON INSPECTION. IT APPEARS ACFT HAD ADQUATE FUEL IN SYS TEM TO SUSTAIN ENGINE OPERATION. (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS INDICATING HALF FULL ON HIS LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK, BEING VECTORED IN IMC CONDITIONS BY FAA GULFPORT (MISSISSIPPI) APPROACH CONTROL RADAR FOR AN INSTRUMENT LANDING, WHEN HE LOST ENGINE POWER. HE THOUGHT THAT HE HAD A LEAST 12 TO 15 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING. HE COULD NOT REGAIN ENGINE POWER AND DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED 6 DAYS LATER FROM THE 6 TO 8 FEET DEPTH WATER, ABOUT 12.5 TO 13 GALLONS OF UNCONTAMINATED BLUE COLORED 100LL AVIATION FUEL REMAINED IN THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED A CLOGGED LEFT WING FUEL VENT SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.